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Doug Underhill
by George J. Dance John Douglas Underhill (born January 23, 1946) is a Canadian poet, teacher, journalist, and producer. Life Underhill was born in Newcastle (now Miramichi), New Brunswick, and has lived most of his life in that city. He graduated from Harkins Academy in Newcastle, and completed B.A. (1968) and Bachelor of Education (1969) degrees at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He taught English literature at Harkins and Miramichi Valley High School for 40 years, before retiring in 2000. He published his debut of poetry, The Lazy Time of Day, a chapbook, in 1971. He has published 2 other poetry collections, as well as 2 collections of local folklore, a humorous dictionary, books on baseball and fishing, and 3 children's books. He has long worked as a freelance journalist and columnist, writing for the Miramichi Leader, Moncton Times-Transcript, and other provincial newspapers. In March 2008 his popular "Fishing Report" column went online, where it attracted a devoted.folllowing. His poetry has appeared in the Nashwaak Review and in the anthologies Cherish Our Heritage, The Pottersfield Portfolio, The Cormorant, and Stubborn Strength: A New Brunswick anthology. His stories have been published in the Times-Transcript, Atlantic Progress, and Maritime Sportsman,Authors: Doug Underhill, Goose Lane Editions. Web, Jan. 18, 2014. as well as Canadian Stories. Along with Bob Gillis, Underhill has co-produced 3 videos: The Dungarvon Whooper (1982), The Headless Nun (1983), and The Great Miramichi Fire of 1825 (1986). He was featured on CBC Radio’s Basic Black with Arthur Black, reading from his Miramichi Dictionary. He was also part of a documentary film about the Miramichi River by the Discovery Channel in its Great Canadian Rivers Series. He is a founding member of the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick (on whose Board of Directors he served for almost 15 years), and of the New Brunswick Arts Alliance; and a long-time member of the Miramichi Writers Group. Writing St. Thomas professor Allen Bentley wrote in the introduction to The Lazy Time of Day: "Everything in this book manifests James Joyce's litany: the translating of nature and life into art, 'the flesh become Word'.... Underhill's range of vision and form is impressive."Allen Bentley, Introduction to Doug Underhill, The Lazy Time of Day (Miramichi Press, 1971), 10. Print. Underhill's collection River Poems had an introduction by his former student, poet and novelist David Adams Richards, who wrote: "Underhill was my first literary teacher and my best. These poems, like the poems of the great New Brunswick poets before him, Alden Nowlan and Fred Cogswell, have something of the eternal in them, something we can cherish as our own." Recognition In 1987 Underhill received an Honourable Mention in the Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick poetry contest. More recently, he received an Honourable Mention for his poem "Arriving in Newfoundland" in the Cherish Our Heritage contest. Underhill was named the "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" by the New Brunswick High School Council in 2000.Biography, DougUnderhill.com. Web, Jan. 17, 2014. In 2001 he won the Miramichi Leader’s Reader’s Choice Award as the "No. 1 Favorite Journalist/Columnist in the Miramichi." Publications Poetry *''The Lazy Time of Day'' (with introduction by Allen Bentley). Chatham, NB: Miramichi Press, 1971. *''Only the Salt. Fredericton, NB: Broken Jaw Press, 1997. *''River Poems (with introduction by David Adams Richards). Ottawa, ON: Borealis, 2007. Non-fiction *''Miramichi Baseball and Softball''. Saint John, NB: Neptune, 2003. *''Miramichi Dictionary: An interpretive guide'' (edited by Herb Curtis). Saint John, NB: Neptune, 1996. *''Miramichi Tales Tall and True'' (illustrated by Karen Wheaton). Saint John, NB: Neptune, 1999. *''Proud Stories from the Miramichi: History, people and places''. Saint John, NB: Neptune, 2001. *''Miramichi Fishing Stories: All true of course!'' Saint John, NB: Neptune, 2006. *''Salmon Country'' (with photos by André Gallant & Benoît Chalifour; edited by Jacques Héroux). Fredericton, NB: Goose Lane Editions, 2011.Book Release: Salmon Country, Goose Lane Editions, April 22, 2011. Web, Jan. 17, 2014. Juvenile *''The Popcorn Cat and the Pumpkin Moon'' (illustrated by Karen Wheaton). Miramichi, NB: Walco Print & Litho, 1986. *''The Popcorn Cat and The Pumpkin Moon Make New Friends'' (illustrated by Karen Wheaton). Miramichi, NB: Walco Print and Litho, 1986. *''Popcorn and Pumpkin Save Tommy’s Christmas'' (illustrated by Karen Wheaton). Newcastle, NB: Newcastle Printing, 1993. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy the New Brunswick Literary Encyclopedia.[John Douglas Underhill, New Brunswick Literary Encyclopedia, St. Thomas University. Web, Jan. 17, 2014. See also *New Brunswick poets *List of Canadian poets References Notes External links ;Prose *"Fishing Report" columns ;Audio / video *"Doug Underhill: Author and outdoorsman" at Vimeo ;Books *https://www.amazon.com/Doug-Underhill/e/B001K7PS72 Doug Underhill] at Amazon.com ;About *Doug Underhill, Author and Outdoorsman at ArtsQuest *[John Douglas Underhill in the New Brunswick Literary Encyclopedia *Doug Underhill: Miramichi Author & Fisherman Official website Category:1946 births Category:20th-century poets Category:Canadian poets Category:English-language poets Category:People from Miramichi, New Brunswick Category:Poets Category:Writers from New Brunswick Category:New Brunswick poets